Kyiv residents face prolonged blackouts as power system is targeted

Daily blackouts after attacks on power infrastructure are leaving many Kyiv residents, particularly those in high-rise buildings and people with limited mobility, without regular heat, elevators or reliable electricity.

Many Kyiv residents are living with long daily blackouts that leave high-rise apartments without regular heat or working elevators. Attacks on power plants and transmission lines have reduced the city's electricity supply and prompted rolling outages. People arrange daily life around short electricity windows for charging, cooking and heating. Those on upper floors and people with disabilities face additional mobility and access challenges. Known facts: - Officials report repeated strikes on power plants and transmission lines that have reduced available generation and transmission capacity. - Grid operators are imposing rolling blackouts to protect hospitals and other critical services while limiting supply to homes for many hours each day. - Residents are scheduling charging and cooking during short power windows and using battery devices; those on higher floors face difficult stair climbs when elevators stop. - A joint estimate by the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations places direct war damage to Ukraine's energy sector at more than $20 billion. Summary: The outages are disrupting daily life and increasing hardship, particularly for older people and those with limited mobility. Kyiv authorities have adjusted power-saving schedules and prioritized critical services. Undetermined at this time.